World wine production is forecast to climb 8.8 percent to the highest in seven years as grape harvests rebound in Spain, Argentina and France, according to the International Organisation of Vine and Wine.

With half the world's beer produced by four big firms and few markets left for them to tap, the time may be right for a US$100-billion merger between the two largest, Anheuser-Busch InBev and SABMiller.

Developing and protecting strong trademarks should therefore be considered an investment designed both to ensure that others cannot stop you from using your mark and to prevent others from using your mark or a confusingly similar mark.

The multiyear project in Lodi should add about 400 jobs to the company, with no corresponding job loss in Napa County, Feeley said. The new crushing and processing facility in Lodi is already operating, and a new bottling and distribution center is on schedule to open in mid-2015, she said

Santa Rita Estates is seeking to inject greater charisma into Chile's wine offer with the launch of a South American-inspired range, its first ever oak-aged Sauvignon Blanc and a pair of surfer-themed wines.

Consumption is at its weakest since Italy was unified as a country in 1861, according to Coldiretti, the main farmers' association. The most immediate cause has been the economic downturn, which has pinched incomes.

The most interesting new wine venue in Washington is Vin de Chez, a pop-up bar in a parking lot. It's the creation of Liz Bird and Tom Madrecki, two 20-somethings intent on proving that wine can be taken seriously yet still be fun. It also gives me the perfect excuse to discuss millennials and wine; after all, baby boomers tend not to drink wine in parking lots.

According to Richard Lewis, public relations director for the Virginia Tourism Corporation, the Piedmont, a fertile region at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains running north to south, is growing into a wine region that's beginning to measure up to some of Europe's greats.

The California Department of Food & Agriculture is now accepting proposals for the 2014 Specialty Crop Block Grant Program designed to enhance the competitiveness of the Golden State's specialty crops.